The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-01
THREE BLUE HUSSARS.
THE PRUSSlAN CAvALRYMEN WHO
WE'RE FIRST TO ENTER PARIS.
A Curious Incident Which Might Have
Prolonged the Franco-Prussian War;
Interview with One of the Daring Ad-
vance Cuards-A Possibility.

Among the many who read with inter
est the review Of Mr.. Z. B. WashDurne's
last literary work, "Recollectlons OF a
Minister To France was Mr.. Albert ID.
Levinger. prominent gentleman who IS
now staying in this city. In the review
special reference was made 70 the singular
fact that Paris after the Franco Prussian
war was first entered by three hussars,
and not, as is generally supposed, by 30, =
900 Prussian troops in body. This curl
GUS incident, which proved 10 be Of but
minor importance, but which might have
ended the armistice and prolonged the
war. seems 70 have escaped all other his
torans but Mr. Washburne. Evidently
unaware Of the circumstances attending
this singular aud hitherto unexplained epi-
sode Mr.. Washburne dismisses IL in a
paragraph and incorrectly illustrates the
blue horsemen as emerging from the
Arc de Tri0mphe In the review it was
said that the treaty OF peace provided for
the admission on March /, 1871. Of 10000
Prussians into the capital But they did
not all come together.
On the contrary, Paris may be said 10
have been taken possession OF, strange rs
il may appear. by three blue hussars. On
the morning Of March 5, at 9 o'clock, they
rode I'm at the Porte Maillot, proceeded up
the avenue OF the Grand Army and
walked their horses slowly down the
MAGNIFICENT avenue Of the Champs Elysees
with carhines cooked and finger upon the
trigger. three horsemen, the sole heralds
or representatives OF the tremendous con-
queriug host that had oyerthrOwn France.
one Of these hussdrs was Mr. Levinger,
then a cadet sergeant in the Thirteenth
Blue Hussars The second was Baron
Won Jageman, a lieutenant IN the same
regiment. and the third was a private, who
acted az orderly Your correspondent
learning OF Mr. Levinger's connection
with the affair, sought AN interview, i'm
the course OF which Mr. Leyinger said.
ION March / the second, third and
fourth squadrons Of my regiment left
Versailles about o'clock in the morning
The troops which were 90 enter Paris had
left the night before and were quartered
near the Longchamps, so as 20 be fresh the
next morning for the review and the en-
try Of Paris To let as many corps as
possible enter the city among the stip-
ulated 30 600 men only the first battalion
of each infantry regiment and the first
squadron Of each cavalry regiment were
selected 10 compose the occupying force.
When we reached the Longchamps the Of
ncers were called forward and told that
the emperor would review the troops aud
that the men were present 20 prevent at
tentats or any attempt upon his life.
"Wo were ordered 20 ride patr0uilles 10
tho Notifications Of Paris, md not 70 al
low any civilian whatsoever he might be,
10 remain I'm the Bos de B0ulogne.
rode the first patrouille and found several
people occupying houses in the Bots, but
they lcft when 1 ordered them 10 20 into
the city Resuming my ride 20 the forti-
ncal0us ] arrived at the gate and halted
my men. without giving the matter a
second thought | rode over the bridge and
stood iu Paris, the first Prussan 10 enter
the city. A few people who We're there
shouted, The Prussiansp but they made
no hostile demonstrations and. after look
ing around, / rode out and joined my
men. When / returned I told my friend,
Blron Won Jagemen, that / had been IN
Paris
You are only joking, he replied
81 assured him that | had really been
within the Notifications. lie was % man
who was fond Of adventure. and he lnime-
diately proposed another trip. | assented,
and we selected an orderly 10 go with us.
Ills name. / think, was Kaiser. When
we entered Paris The streets were well
ni-h deserted We walked our horses mp
one # the principal avenues On the left
We noticed q hospital. 10 front Of which
were many wounded soldiers We very
properly saIuted. but they sullenly declined
10 return it We rode along until we
reached the Arc dc Iriomphe At the
SIGHT OF that magnificent pile our hearts
sweIed with pride and Jageman and /
cl.nei hands with much emotion no being
the first Prussians in Paris.
"rhe Arc dc lriomphe was closed with
heavy chains and deep bitches were dug
before 10. so that we could not pass
through il, and by doing so painfully
wound French national pride Crowds OF
people assembled 80 the Arc and when
they saw Us approaching they shouted,
'As,assins prussiansp and crowded us so
closely that drew my saber in anticipa-
ton of an attack
For Gods sake, Leynger, said Jage-
man. don { get in a row. Let as return.
II il become known that we entered Paris
against orders We Will be court martialed. /
IL does not matter 80 much 10 you, for
you Viii leave the army after the war but
IL viii ruin my military career
I've had received imperative orders 20 I
ride rs far as the Notifications only, and F..
seeing the wisdom Of his counsel, as I
scnted We turned around and rode 20 I.
the gate of the Bots de Boulogne When I.
wc entered the Bots we met Director Of I.
Field Police St.eber and abOu1 100 men /
We told him where we had been, and he
asked in a5tonishmcnt: What did you see' /
What did they say 10 your
some threw a little mud no us and we /
were paid few compliments, l replied. |
One Of Director Sticbers officers wanted I
10 20 in with the director, but the latter
replied that he preferred to wait until /.
r. lmcnt could accompany him. We re- /
i1mcd our regiment The emperor mr. /
rived shortly, and, after reviewing the /
troops. returned to Versailles, while the /
81 OO0sclected men marched into Paris
we said nothing about our adventure /
for fear Of being court martialed. IN 'he /
rapidly changing panorama Of events .
which were crowded into that spring we .
did not realize what we had done. ! have /
%